The fractal flow conditioner for orifice plate flow meters
The sensitivity of orifice plate flow meters to the quality of the approaching flow continues to be a cause for concern in flow metering. The distortions caused by pipe fittings such as valves, bends, compressors and other devices located upstream of the orifice plate can lead to non-standard velo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier Ltd.
2011
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/7950/ http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/7950/1/J8763_e8792a981736557a5906927dc3f9c6c5.pdf |
| Summary: | The sensitivity of orifice plate flow meters to the quality of the approaching flow continues to be a cause
for concern in flow metering. The distortions caused by pipe fittings such as valves, bends, compressors
and other devices located upstream of the orifice plate can lead to non-standard velocity profiles and
give errors in measurement. The design of orifice plate meters that are independent of the initial flow
conditions of the upstream is a major goal in flow metering. Either using a long straight pipe, or a flow
conditioner upstream of an orifice plate, usually achieves this goal.
The effect of a fractal flow conditioner for both standard and non-standard flow conditions was
obtained in experimental work and also using simulations. The measurement of mass flow rate under
different conditions and different Reynolds numbers was used to establish a change in discharge
coefficient relative to a standard one. The experimental results using the fractal flow conditioner show
that the combination of an orifice plate and a fractal flow conditioner is broadly insensitive to upstream
disturbances.
The simulation results also show that the device can be used as a part of a flow metering package
that will considerably reduce installation lengths. Previous work with orifice plates has shown that a
combination of flow conditioner and orifice plate was promising. The results of using a combination of
the fractal flow conditioner and orifice plate for non-standard flow conditions including swirling flow and
asymmetric flow show that this package can preserve the accuracy of metering up to the level required
in the Standards. |
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